Fall Creek boys grade well in recent tests

Fall Creek head coach Rick Storlie admitted his team's strong defense had done a lot to carry the team as its been searching for consistency on offense.

But that consistency may well have found itself as the No. 7 ranked Crickets' win-streak is now at six after some impressive wins last week over non-conference rival Osseo-Fairchild 62-45 on Tuesday, Jan. 27, over Stanley-Boyd 71-59 on the road Thursday, Jan. 29, avenging an early West Cloverbelt loss to the Orioles, and then this week Tuesday, Feb. 3 by a 63-21 margin over Cadott at home which was Storlie's 400th win at Fall Creek in 27 years of coaching. FC is now 13-2 overall.

"We've been very proud of the way the defense has played all season but we're also proud of the way the kids have worked hard, learned their mistakes and stepped up their play on offense," Storlie said. "They're using defense to create opportunities to score, they're rebounding well which is critical to playing good offense and we've had a variety of players, both starters and reserves, able to hit shots and contribute at all points in the game."

Against O-F, the Crickets, leading and in control pretty much from start to finish, were led by Jackson Tangley - 14 pts, three assists; Miles Schmidgall - 11 points and 15 rebounds; Cullen Kramer - 10 points, eight points for Corbin Sell and six each for Bryson Elkins off the bench and starter Josh Wright. Noah Sullivan had 15 points to lead O-F in scoring and teammate Brooks Koxlien finished with 10 points.

Despite giving up 28 points to one of best players in the WCC in Charlie Hoel, the Crickets held S-B (14-2) to just 59 points in their home gym. Tangley again was FC's leading scorer with 22 pts, four assists and four steals; Wright had 14 points, Elkins - 11 points and Schmidgall finished with 10 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

And against Cadott (3-13), Brayden Prorok had a varsity-best nine points in the big win. Tangley led the way again with 13 points, five assists and four steals while Schmidgall grabbed 15 rebounds and made three steals. Wright also had nine points and made three assists.

FC is at Thorp on Friday, Feb. 6 and Augusta in a non-conference game Feb. 9 before the big showdown with No. 8 Eau Claire Regis at Regis.

The Bound Wisconsin/Zaleski Sports Boys Basketball Media Poll for Division 4 is as follows:

1). Kewaunee
2), Milwaukee Juneau
3). Marathon
4). Lomira
5). Bonduel
6). Darlington
7). Fall Creek
8). Eau Claire Regis
9). Manitowoc Lutheran
10). Hurley

Osseo-Fairchild didn't stay long in the polls after losing to FC but the Thunder (14-2) regrouped nicely last week and this. O-F rallied from a 29-18 deficit to beat Melrose-Mindoro (5-10) on the road Friday, Jan. 30. The senior trio of Drake Vojtik, Noah Sullivan and Mason Schmidt led the team in scoring with 14, 11 and six points respectively. Junior Mason Knudtsen led the team in rebounds with 11 while Sullivan had 10 and Schmidt grabbed seven boards. And despite a 25 point effort from Jake Zimmerman, Immanuel (5-8) was no match for O-F on Monday, Feb. 2 as Thunder easily won at home 79-51. The Thunder close out the week at Dairyland Small leader Cochrane-Fountain City (13-4) on Thursday, Feb. 5 and then host Whitehall (13-4) for first in the Large Dairyland next Tuesday, Feb. 10, a doubleheader beginning at 5:45 p.m.

Eleva-Strum (7-9) edged Alma/Pepin 60-58 Monday, Feb. 2 at Pepin to snap a three-game losing streak. Calvin Barneson led E-S with 18 points and Cashton Kulig scored 12 for the Cardinals. Afton Flynn had nine points, six rebounds and four assists,. The Eagles (5-12) were led by Owen Post who led all scorers with 19 points. The Cards hope for more wins this week and next, at home Thursday, Feb. 5 vs. Independence/Gilmanton, at Arcadia in a non-conference game next week Monday, Feb. 9 and at Augusta on Feb. 10.

Augusta's Owen Lee has snatched the single-season steals and career steals mark at AHS for which he was honored during last week's game vs. Cochrane-Fountain City at home Jan. 26. Unfortunately it was the lone highlight for a Beaver squad in the middle of a tough stretch of schedule which has led to a seven-game losing streak. Last week was bracketed by losses to C-FC (60-33 at C-FC on Friday, Jan. 30). They also lost at home to Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran 58-49 on Tuesday, Jan. 27 and 67-57 at home to Whitehall on Monday, Feb. 2. Lee had 10 points, Isac Mooney scored 11 and Bryce Buttke had eight points for AHS against the Lancers led by Zimmerman's 33. Augusta (5-12) played competitive vs. Whitehall throughout, just not enough as Buttke scored 24 points and Tyler Lee scored 10 points. Caleb Kolve finished with a team-best 12 rebounds. William Youngbauer had 21 points for the Norse who stay a game behind Osseo-Fairchild in the Large Dairyland standings. AHS will look to break their streak at Lincoln (11-4) on Thursday, Feb. 5, at home vs. No. 7 ranked Fall Creek on Monday,. Feb. 9 or at home vs. Eleva-Strum on Feb. 10.

(as of Thursday morning, Feb. 5)

Boys Basketball Standings

West Cloverbelt
Team W-L
Eau Claire Regis 8-1
Fall Creek 7-1
Stanley-Boyd 7-2
Elk Mound 5-3
Chippewa Falls McDonell 4-6
Cadott 2-7
Thorp 2-7
Bloomer 1-9

Last Week's Games
Monday, Jan. 26
Eau Claire Regis 91, Bloomer 52
Tuesday, Jan. 27
Cadott 62, Chippewa Falls McDonell 55
Stanley-Boyd 66, Thorp 51
Thursday, Jan. 29
Chippewa Falls McDonell 63, Thorp 46
Fall Creek 71, Stanley-Boyd 59
Eau Claire Regis 88, Cadott 51
Elk Mound 70, Bloomer 65 (OT)

This Week's Games
Tuesday, Feb. 3
Chippewa Falls at McDonell 65, Bloomer 40
Eau Claire Regis 91, Elk Mound 62
Fall Creek 63, Cadott 21
Stanley-Boyd 73, Thorp 51
Thursday, Feb. 5
Stanley-Boyd at Elk Mound
Friday, Feb. 6
Eau Claire Regis at Bloomer
Chippewa Falls McDonell at Cadott
Thorp at Fall Creek

Next Week's Games
Tuesday, Feb. 10
Fall Creek at Eau Claire Regis
Cadott at Elk Mound

Large Dairyland
Team W-L
Osseo-Fairchild 12-1
Whitehall 11-2
Eleva-Strum 6-7
Melrose-Mindoro 4-7
Augusta 3-11

Small Dairyland
Team W-L
Cochrane-Fountain City 12-2
Lincoln 9-3
Blair-Taylor 7-5
Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran 4-8
Alma/Pepin 3-11
Independence/Gilmanton 0-14

Last Week's Games
Monday, Jan. 26
Cochrane-Fountain City 67, Augusta 52
Tuesday, Jan. 27
Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran 58, Augusta 49
Melrose-Mindoro at Blair-Taylor ppd.
Cochrane-Fountain City 71, Independence/Gilmanton 52
Whitehall 56, Alma/Pepin 51
Lincoln 43, Eleva-Strum 39
Friday, Jan. 30
Blair-Taylor 66, Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran 57
Cochrane-Fountain City 60, Augusta 33
Lincoln 51, Alma/Pepin 48
Whitehall 76, Independence/Gilmanton 50
Osseo-Fairchild 44, Melrose-Mindoro 34

This Week's Games
Monday, Feb. 2
Cochrane-Fountain City 67, Blair-Taylor 50
Lincoln 55, Independence/Gilmanton 46
Osseo-Fairchild 79, Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran 51
Eleva-Strum 60, Alma/Pepin 58
Whitehall 67, Augusta 57
Thursday, Feb. 5
Osseo-Fairchild at Cochrane-Fountain City
Melrose-Mindoro at Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran
Independence/Gilmanton at Eleva-Strum
Augusta at Lincoln
Blair-Taylor at Whitehall

Next Week's Games
Monday, Feb. 9
Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran at Melrose-Mindoro
Tuesday, Feb. 10
Independence/Gilmanton at Alma/Pepin
Lincoln at Blair-Taylor
Cochrane-Fountain City at Melrose-Mindoro
Whitehall at Osseo-Fairchild
Eleva-Strum at Augusta
Thursday, Feb. 12
Blair-Taylor at Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran
Lincoln at Whitehall